Christmas For Cassie
by ambiguouslyme
Summary: What happens when a certain little blonde girl knocks on Miss Hermione Granger's door one day? Rating in case of future 'affections'.


**Chapter 1**

During a frosty afternoon, Hermione awoke from her nap to soft rapping on her front door. She wondered who it could be.

Harry and Ginny were in France celebrating their honeymoon. The rest of the Weasley family would probably be at The Burrow, enjoying Mrs. Weasley's cooking.

The snow wasn't too big, so Neville and Hannah would still be busy at The Leaky Cauldron, chatting up some of their daily patrons. Andromeda and Teddy had said they'd be at Canada for the week and all her other friends would be all snuggled up in a couch sipping hot cocoa.

It had been a busy week, with her workload and extra projects, topped up with Christmas shopping. The presents were wrapped up neatly and now made home under the pine tree in her living room.

Groggily, she looked through the peephole and was elated to find the blond head of the little sweet girl she'd been babysitting for a few months. She quickly opened the door and let the child in, noticing that she was alone, and closed it.

"Cassy, where's your father?" She kneeled down so she was eye-to-eye with her.

The girl's head tilted downward and she started sniffling. "He's too busy, he told me to go find somewhere else to play."

"How did you get here?" Hermione asked, a 6-year-old walking about unguided was _not_ safe.

"Through the Floo, near your house." The girl looked scared for a minute. "Your not angry, are you? I didn't bring Papa with me."

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm not angry, just surprised. What would happen if your daddy couldn't find you?" She led the girl to the sofa in the living room.

"He'd get worried and look for me." Now, little Cassy looked guilty." That's why I'm here. Miss Hermione, can you not tell papa?"

"I'm sorry, but I have to. Knowing his household though, the elves must've told him already. He might be searching for his girl right now." Hermione set the girl near the armrest, told her to wait and moved to Floo-call her 'employer'.

When she reached the connection, which was in a separate room, Draco Malfoy had just arrived.

"Granger, have you seen Cassiopeia? She went missing 15 minutes ago." His hair was tousled and his suit wrinkled from moving about so much.

"Yes, in fact, she's two rooms away. But before you go, -" He hurried past her into the corridor and down the wrong way.

"Malfoy, we need to talk first." She tried, as he frantically scanned about the guest room and flipped everything upside down.

"Not now, Granger. My little girl is in your house and I'm looking for her!" He tossed a pillow off somewhere.

"Yes, two rooms to the _left_, which would've been mentioned in a conversation if you'd kindly stop being panicky."

"I've got no time to chit-chat with you, Granger. I only have half a day before my paperwork is due -" He was cut off quickly.

"See, _that's_ the problem!" She pointed at him accusingly.

"What's the problem?" He looked confused.

"That! The fact you've got so caught up in your work that little Cassy feels like your ignoring her." He dropped the coverlet back on the double bed.

"What happens in our mansion is none of your business, Granger. Now, where's my daughter?"

"It may be not, but I can't help but feel for the poor girl. Left to play alone, a few days before Christmas at that." She shook her head slightly, which aggravated Malfoy.

When she looked up, he was only a few inches away from her. "_Where's my daughter?_"

She gulped, "In the living room."

"Good, lead me to her _immediately_." She showed him to the sofa, where the little girl sat on - reading one of Miss Hermione's Jane Austen novels.

She looked up and - "Papa!"

"Angel!" He scooped her up and held her in his arms." Don't scare papa like that next time, okay?"

"Okay. Papa?" Cassiopeia replied, softer than usual.

"Yes?"

"Can I stay here? It's cosy here and I like Miss Hermione's sofa." She stared at her father with big doe eyes. "She also has lots and lots of book! And she promised to bake gingerbread cookies with me! I'll be good, I promise."

Hermione found amusement in watching Malfoy do the little girl's bidding.

"Err... Uh...Only if Miss Granger allows it." He was troubled, who'd request for something from someone you just almost-threatened.

"Can I? Can I, Miss Hermione?"

Hermione smiled, "Yes, you _may_."

Even though she knew there was going to be some serious discussions later, she felt happy to have her ward staying with her for the time being.


End file.
